Head of provincial secretariat, Nguyen Hong Quang, confirmed to the Viet Nam News yesterday that the plan will improve the airport as an international airport in the central region with two runways, two terminals for both passengers and cargo, and a maintenance centre from 2020-25 and beyond.

"It's one of the most important project in Quang Nam Province. We're building the port into a key destination and logistics centre for foreign investors in the central region, as well as linking the economic zones of Quang Nam-Quang Ngai-Da Nang," Quang said, adding that the plan would see participation from the private sector.

He said that  budget carrier VietJetAir and US partner Parsons Brinckerhoff have proposed a master plan for development of the airport in three phases: now-2020, 2020-25 and the future beyond 2025.

He said first phase construction was designed to host 2 million passengers per year with a fund of VND2.5 trillion (US$111 million) from the provincial budget. Then, the airport will increase capacity to 4 million passengers and 1.5 million tonnes of cargo.

According to the plan, Chu Lai Airport, which was built as an airbase during the war in the 1960s, opened to commercial traffic in 2005.

Before the Airbus A320 aircraft was allowed on its runways, the airport only supported landings by the 50-seat ATR-72 aircraft and the Fokker 70, with 12 flights per day.

A feasibility study of the project was carried out with funding from the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).

As scheduled, the airport was planned to host big aircrafts Airbus A350 and Boeing 787, along with a logistics centre.

The third phase will develop the second runway and a new terminal for passenger and cargo, as well as a plane maintenance centre.

Quang said the development of the airport would boost air travel from HCM City and Ha Noi to the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone in Quang Nam and Dung Quat Economic Zone in Quang Ngai Province.

Quang Nam also launched the new Chu Lai-Incheon, Korea sea route for hosting textiles, automobiles, logistics experts, exports and investment flows from Korea and Japan. 

VNS